Most Helpful Customer Reviews

"Dark Skies" (2013 relase; 97 min.) brings the story of the Barrett family. Mom (played by Keri "Felicity" Russell) and dad (played by Josh Hamilton) are stressing because of their precarious financial situation (Dad is in between jobs, mom is barely hanging on to her real easate brokerage). They have two sons, 13 yr. old Jesse and 5 or 6 yr. old Sammy. Then slowly but surely strange things are starting to happen in and around the house, including a strange "remodeling" of the kitchen, then disappearance of pictures, and then hundreds of birds flying head-on into the house for no apparent reason. What is going on here exactly? At this point we're not even half-way into the movie, and things are to get a lot more tense than that still. But to tell you more of a plot-heavy movie like this would ruin your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Several comments: first, I had seen the trailer for this movie a few times in recent weeks, and thought it looked kinda interesting. I took a chance on this, and am glad I did. It is not a horror movie as such, nor is it really a sci-fi movie. "Dark Skies" actually falls somewhere in between, and on more than one occasion during the movie I saw elements from the "Paranormal Activity" franchise and also from the "Poltergeist" franchise just to name those. Second, what a delight to see Keri Russell again,as I sort of lost track of her. It is incredible that 2013 marks the 15th anniversary of when "Felicity" first hit the small screen. Russell is ageing quite nicely (if you can call someone in their mid/late-30s "ageing"), and she carries this movie, period. Kudos also to young Kadan Rockett as little Sammy, and J.K. Simmons who plays a small role late into the movie.Read more ›

...the hatred for this movie. Then again, I didn't understand the critics dislike of "The Forth Kind" from a few years ago or the dislike of "Fire In The Sky" from many years ago. I seems like whenever a movie comes along that doesn't involve a bike riding alien going over the moon (E.T.) or monsters blowing up the planet (Independence Day)the critics just can't seem to wrap their heads around it. I've read about this movie being compared to the Paranormal Activity series. This had NOTHING to do with ghosts. The usage of camcorders is minimal and I wouldn't for a second consider this film part of the "shaky cam" genre. I knew within the first ten minutes this film was about alien abductions. You're either a fan of this sort of film or you're not. As far as your belief in aliens or inter-dimensional beings....I'm agnostic....like religion. The movie itself? Brilliant acting. Amazing direction. Perfectly cast. Excellent score. Many genuine moments that made me recoil in shock....not in a gross out way but in fright. One of the best entries in the alien abduction genre I've ever seen. Do you remember those few REALLY freaky episodes of the X Files? That's what this is only better Ignore the critics and judge for yourself....Recommended.

I just took my daughter to see this on the big screen because I liked the bird collision with the window when I saw the trailer. The film started with the slow to moderate pacing of witnessing a family in the throes of tension created by the economy---bunker mentalities abound.Then something happened in Sammie's bedroom that made me jump the same way I did with "signs". Then pow. I was in. I immediately thought of the first script version of Close Encounters written by Paul Schrader "Taxi Driver". Spielberg turned it down saying it was mean spirited and didnt want a hostile invasion story. This movie was that draft. This independent piece was a homage to Close Encounters of the third kind, ET, The Birds, Poltergeist, Signs, and Paranormal Activity. Harvey Weinstein greenlit a film which was carried surprizingly well by the acting chops of Keri Russell and Josh Hamilton. I actually cared what happened to these people and thats rare for a scary film to be character and plot driven. The director kept his camera tight on the faces so the actors could not milk their expressions. The blank face fear always works. The soundtrack is very effective in its use against silence. The tension spilling on the children made me believe this couple has been toxic toward each other for a long time---long before the movie's circumstances introduced the audience to them. And maybe that tension drew the attacks to their home in the first place. Why not being that original, the film compensated with the right mix of old recipes without diluting its ability to reveal enough of the story on a need to know basis to the audience just as it did to the characters. I didnt feel the need to be smarter than the movie. Expect a sequel.

I'm not one for rave reviews. I find most films trite, redundant, regurgitated, shallow and self righteous. I can hardly sit through most horrors, because it all seems rushed, boring, and pedestrian, so why wouldn't this. I gave it a go. Standards of other films set in immediately and fast, and though it touches on elements so many other films have in so many ways: of Spielberg genius as Poltergeist and Close Encounters come to mind, (which no doubt people will claim metaphors to endlessly), but the film holds its own in a very simple, straight forward non CGI nonsense way, and its kind of brilliant because truly the ensemble cast does so well together, its believable how terrified they are. I believe the reason why Poltergeist was such a novelty, was not only the absolute terror of a film that stands the test of time, but there was real substance to it (the conversations that Beatrice Straight had with Jobeth Williams' character, how touching and special it was, and with the mothers son, how soothing she was, in a time of absolute pinnacle terror) That is achieved here. Yeah it's no Poltergeist, but in a market saturated with hundreds of turds released a year, this one comes out truly shining. It was very well done.

I am not good with what I want to say when detailing, but the colors are great, the story holds its own on minimal special effects, and considering its from the same people that bring us the ridiculous Paranormal Activity franchise, (loathed Insidious) I absolutely loved this.